Vehicle air conditioning system condensers are mounted in front of the engine cooling radiator and just behind the vehicle body grill. Typically, the radiator is mounted directly to the vehicle body, and the smaller, lighter condenser is mounted to the front of the radiator. The molded plastic radiator tanks are a convenient location in which to integrally mold part of a condenser mounting system, such a hooks or pockets to hold separate fasteners. The other part of the condenser mounting has generally comprised brackets of various sorts, either integrally extruded with the tank, or separate. The mounting brackets may fit down into hooks molded into the tanks, or be attached with threaded fasteners to fasteners held in pockets molded into the tank, or a combination of the two. Typical examples of such mounting schemes may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,016 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,080. While these provide solid, secure mountings, the brackets represent an additional expense and material, whether integrally extruded or separate.
With newer condenser manifold designs, which are basically small diameter cylinders of one or two piece construction, it is more difficult to integrally extrude or separately attach mounting brackets, than with the larger, flat sided manifolds. Mounting mechanisms have been proposed that are better suited to such smaller, cylindrical shapes. An example can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,941, where a purpose built lower plug is stamped with an integral depending flange that fits into its own resilient mounting pad. Another example may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,133, in which the lower plug is eliminated in favor of an integrally formed lower pin, which, in turn, can fit into its own resilient mounting pad. These two designs are best suited for mounting the condenser independent from the radiator, rather than to the front of the radiator tanks. They also require some deviation from the standard cylindrical manifold design, which is basically a simple tube plugged at each end with a recessed end plug.